


like stars burning holes right through the dark

by labellelunaclaire



Series: AUgust 2020 [18]
Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26041108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/labellelunaclaire/pseuds/labellelunaclaire
Summary: Day 18 — BodyguardAfter a break in at Crows Nest leaves Ann Walker shaken, her cousin asks Anne Lister to move in to bring the girl some peace of mind.
Relationships: Anne Lister (1791-1840)/Ann Walker (1803-1854)
Series: AUgust 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860763
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30
Collections: AUgust 2020





	like stars burning holes right through the dark

**Author's Note:**

> I love stretching these prompts as thin as they’ll go.

“The break in has her very skittish,” Mrs. Priestley explained quickly over a cup of tea. “Not that she was ever particularly… stable to begin with,” she added, her eyebrows raising.

“I should imagine,” Anne responded. “How frightening it must be, to wake to a strange person in your home. Especially if you’re unfamiliar with how to to defend yourself. I personally keep a sword beside my bed, just in case. I’d like to see an intruder try to steal what’s rightfully mine.”

Mrs. Priestley smiled. “This is why I enjoy your company, Miss Lister. You’re so incredibly brave. Most men could only hope to have a fraction of your confidence.”

“Rightly so.”

“I hope you don’t find this impertinent,” Mrs. Priestley added, “but I did have alternative motives for inviting you here today.”

Anne raised her eyebrows as she raised her cup to her lips. “Oh?” she said, and took a sip.

“Well, yes. I had hoped… like I said, you’re such a strong, brave woman, Anne. My cousin, Miss Walker, she could use someone like you in her life right now.”

“Eliza, you know I’m a busy woman, running Shibden and all of the tenants,” Anne pointed out. “I don’t have a lot of time to spare.”

“Please, Anne,” she begged. “I can pay you. Consider yourself, oh, I don’t know, a bodyguard. A protector. Just someone to bring her mind a little peace, the poor pet.”

Anne set her cup down on the saucer. “Are you quite sure that this is necessary? Have you spoken with the girl?”

“Trust me, Anne, she’s always been fragile. But now… she needs a friend — a companion — who she feels safe with.”

Anne sighed. “I suppose we shall have to work out the details of the arrangement, then.”

* * *

“It’s quite nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Walker,” Anne said to the pretty blonde, extending her hand.

The girl took it lightly, limply, a vague sort of expression on her face as she glanced nervously around the room.

“Ann, dear,” Mrs. Priestly prompted gently.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “Yes. So Sorry. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lister.”

Anne looked at Mrs. Priestly with a raised eyebrow.

“Your cousin tells me that you’ve experienced a recent trauma, Miss Walker,” Anne said in her usual brisk way.

“Huh? Oh, uh, yes. Yes, I suppose,” the girl responded in that same vague way.

“I’m quite good friends with several incredible doctors out of London,” she told her. “They’ve taught me a few things about strengthening the mind in the wake of these such things. I would be happy to assist you in fortifying your mind against these thoughts.”

“Miss Lister has offered to stay with you for a little while, Ann,” Mrs. Priestly added. “She’s quite well versed in the ways of the world. I think being around her would bring you a good deal of comfort.”

Ann smiled thinly. “I would hate to be a burden to you, Miss Lister,” she said. “I’m sure you have much better things to do than entertain my weakness of mind.”

“Oh, nonsense,” Anne said with a tisk. “I take pride in putting my many knowledges to good use. And I’m always in search of stimulating new friendships.”

* * *

Anne wasted no time moving herself in temporarily to one of the guest bedrooms in Miss Walker’s vast and airy estate.

The house was gorgeous. Very in line with modern tastes in a way that Shibden wasn’t. She made notes in her diary about how to take some of the elements she liked and incorporate them into her own home when she returned.

“Miss Walker, would you like to take the air with me?” she asked, meeting her new ward in the sitting room. “Fresh air can be quite good for the mind’s health.”

Ann Walker looked up from where she sat with a book in her hand. “Oh,” she said. “Yes, I suppose that sounds nice.”

Anne held out her arm for the younger girl to take and led her through the house and to the grounds. They walked in silence for a while, taking in the sights of the beautiful ornamental gardens.

“Would you like to talk to me about what happened the night of the break in?” Anne asked at last.

Ann Walker paused, looking fearful. “I don’t like to think about it,” she said quietly.

“It seems to me that perhaps you’ve been doing nothing  _ but _ thinking about it,” Anne told her. “And if you’re already thinking about it, it may be of benefit to you to talk about it.”

She sighed. “It gave me quite a fright, Miss Lister,” she said softly. “It’s hard for me to sleep at night. I just keep dreaming that it’s happening again and again. I wasn’t injured, but… it just feels so violating, knowing that someone entered my home without my permission with nefarious intent.”

“Very understandable,” Anne agreed. “But I swear to you, Miss Walker, that as long as I am here, no harm will come to you.”

Ann Walker smiled genuinely at her. “I believe that’s true, Miss Lister.

* * *

It was around midnight when Anne was awoken to a scream from down the hall.

She tossed the blankets off her bed and ran towards Ann Walker’s bedroom.

“Ann!” she said loudly as the blonde girl thrashed around on the mattress. She crawled onto the bed next to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Ann, wake up!”

Ann Walker woke with a gasp, her breathing heavy and her eyes large. She looked around anxiously.

“You’re alright, Ann,” Anne told her, gathering her shaking form into her arms gently. “I’m here with you. It was just a dream.”

“It felt so real,” Ann breathed, nestling herself into Anne’s embrace.

“I know, I know,” Anne cooed softly, rocking her back and forth in a soothing motion, like a mother would rock a baby to sleep.

“Please stay with me,” she begged, looking up at Anne with a pleading face. “I feel so much safer when you’re near.”

Anne hesitated, thinking. The girl was, of course, beautiful, and of course she knew how to control herself, but it still felt far too intimate for the position she was supposed to be taking in this situation.

But Ann looked so scared, so pathetic, that Anne couldn’t say no.

“Of course I’ll stay,” Anne murmured, carefully stroking her lovely yellow hair. “No one shall harm you while I’m here.”

“Thank you, Anne,” she whispered, pressing her face to Anne’s white chemise.

Anne gently laid them both down in the bed and covered them with the heavy blanket. Ann stayed in her arms, her head resting on Anne’s breast, and slowly, her breathing calmed to a more normal speed and her eyes fluttered shut, and then she was peacefully asleep.

Anne smiled, continuing to pet the girl’s hair, until she, too, decided to close her eyes.

This might be an enjoyable experience yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Passion Pit’s _Sleepyhead._ I’m legitimately going to run out of Passion Pit songs to steal titles from one of these days, but they’re my favorite band, so whatever.
> 
> Also, I’m already over these two having the same name. Do you know how many times I’ve written the wrong Ann(e)??


End file.
